A Nigerian national living illegally in the United States has pleaded guilty to making false statements while attempting to purchase a firearm, the United States Department of Justice has said.
Court records obtained by the DOJ showed that the defendant, Laurel Echezonam, 25, entered the United States unlawfully through the southern border in 2022 and was later confirmed by immigration authorities to be without legal status.
The department said that on June 7 and June 8, 2024, Echezonam travelled from his residence in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to separate firearms dealers in a bid to purchase a weapon.
“When Echezonam completed the required firearms purchase form, he made false statements regarding his immigration status to deceive the firearms dealer into selling him the firearms,” the statement said.
It added that Echezonam “was denied the firearms based on his immigration status and was subsequently apprehended by immigration officials.”
The DOJ said the case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lynn Murray and C. Brett Grantham are handling the prosecution.
According to the department, Echezonam entered his guilty plea on Monday, December 15, at a federal court in the Southern District of Mississippi.
“He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of up to ten years in prison,” the department said.
The DOJ added that “a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.”
The case is being prosecuted under Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative focused on immigration enforcement, organised crime and violent crime.
